Yangshuo will likely be the part of our time in China that lingers longest in my heart…
We went because we needed to see the “other” China… and wanted something a little off the beaten path… with no more temples, walls, parks or tourist attractions to drag the girls through. We totally got it. A three hour flight to Guilin, then another hour by car and we arrived in Yangshuo. This is a rock climbers paradise with hundreds/thousands of limestone karsts to climb. It’s what you see on National Geographic when you catch a slice of “wild China” and we LOVED our time there. We rafted down the Yu Long River, rode bikes, hiked, then more rafting, and even kayaking down the bigger Li River… explored a couple of caves, and swam in the river. Plus massages! (Cece had her first massage! A 30 minute kid version.) It was a magical week for us, and exactly what we needed after all these urban months in China. We even saw stars in the night sky for the first time since leaving California…
Arriving at the Yangshuo Mountain Retreat...
The Yu Long River...
Art and Elle in the lead...
You can see how we immediately relaxed...
I don't think the girls believed us until we were there...
Water buffalo cooling off...
The "eco-hotel" where we stayed... on the river about 10km from the town of Yangshuo...
Riding bikes... (click to enlarge and you'll see Art and the girls)...
You can see the humidity...
Moon hill...
Oh I wish it would rain...
Lush...
The town of Yangshuo...
The Karst Cafe... (best not to go to Yangshuo if signs like this don't appeal to you)
Take it easy...
Lazy afternoons...
The famous Yangshuo light show (600 dancers, on the water, surrounded by karsts). The show was created by Chinese director Zhang Yimou, who also created the opening ceremony of the 2008 olympics...
Lunch break. Yes, we let our kids do this. Frequently while traveling...
A different ride down the larger Li River, on a raft made out of PVC pipe...
Rafting with the Gerstl/Pepin family who were also in Yangshuo...
This goes on...
For hours...
Cormorants used for fishing...
Rafting fun...
Island girl...
Cooling off...
Along the road as we watched for the trailhead...
Country life...
This hike was exhilarating. Though the girls would describe it differently...
So quiet...
This land is her land...
Hikers paradise...
Ran into some of these guys...
We made it out...
Cushion covers in the sun...
OMG~~~ Been thinking of all of you ‘all’ day and thought you wouldn’t send another blog till you got home….and Lo and Behold another blog.
…Cece–This land is her land~~~ Elle–Island Girl 
‘WOW’ just doesn’t cut it for this place~~~all I can say is….”BEAUTIFUL”
mumz~~~
Lovely pictures of Cece and Elle too